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So what went so badly wrong for Ireland’s riders at Rio?

The only highlight of Ireland’s equestrian effort at the Rio Olympics turned out to be a breakthrough in what is sometimes regarded as the Cinderella of the sport – dressage.

For the rest, it was disappointing in the extreme. In both the so-called flagship disciplines, show jumping and eventing, Ireland actually did worse than they had four years ago in London.

Judy Reynolds – breakthrough in dressage

No-one in the Irish contingent came anywhere near a medal at Rio, and it was left to Kildare rider Judy Reynolds, an Olympic first-timer, to make the only positive headline when she got through to the third-round final in dressage. Though she ultimately finished in 18th, the 35-year-old, with her gelding Vancouver K, was the first Irish competitor in 24 years to get as far as the final.

In Eventing, Ireland achieved a team eighth, compared to a fifth in London, while the highest individual place at Rio went to Jonty Evans in ninth. At London, Aoife Clark achieved an individual seventh.

Certainly, Ireland’s eventers made a brave effort by carrying the burden of an elimination on the cross country course at Rio. But then, they also had an elimination in London. People forget. Or choose to forget.

It was in show jumping, though, where Ireland’s weakness manifested itself most prominently.

For the third consecutive time failing to qualify an Olympic team, Ireland’s governing body, Horse Sport Ireland,had to settle for a single individual place and after a long period of reflection selected a rider so far down the Longines world show jumping rankings that many followers of the sport had not heard of him before.

With a mountain to climb – equalling or bettering Ireland’s first ever equestrian Olympic bronze medal achieved at London in 2012 by Meath’s Cian O’Connor – the selection of 30 year-old Greg Broderick was, to quote a term used by many sports commentators at the time, “controversial”.

Greg Broderick

However, Broderick was only one half of the equation, for his partner was a magnificent Irish Sport Horse called Going Global, bred by Ita Brennan and produced by the rider, and jumped with great success as part of the Irish Nations’ Cup teams that campaigned internationally during 2015.

It was explained that Broderick’s low world ranking was in large part due to his absence from international competition for eight months, approximately September 2015 to June of 2016, due to a groin injury.

However, this absence in itself did raise questions as to his experience at the very top level of the sport, when other contenders for the sole jumping slot – Denis Lynch, Bertram Allen and Cian O’Connor – had been battling away on various horses in five-star competitions worldwide during the same period.

Allen, at the time of Broderick’s selection, was actually ranked amongst the world’s top ten show jumpers, such was the intensity and success of his competition schedule.

Lynch, with his outstanding stallion All Star, finished fifth in the World Cup Final during this period, while O’Connor with his equally talented stallion Good Luck had major placings in five-star Grands Prix and also carried with him that rare commodity, an Olympic CV.

The four main contenders for the single Rio spot had also formed the team for the vital Olympic qualifying event at Aachen in Germany in September of 2015, the European Show Jumping Championships, but, tellingly, Broderick and Going Global finished on Ireland’s worst score in the two-round competition.

Media suggestions that the breeding cachet of riding an impressive Irish Sport Horse like Going Global was giving Broderick an unfair advantage in the selection process were swatted away by the governing body, Horse Sport Ireland, but some commentators were bemused when it was discovered that the world governing body, the FEI, did not have either rider or horse listed on its database as ever having won a Grand Prix, at any level, together or separately.

In the end, it appeared that the selection of Going Global and Greg Broderick was based on a performance record that included seven Nations’ Cup appearances during 2015 and the first half of 2016, and taking part in three five-star Grands Prix.

Denis Lynch, by comparison, had competed in 20 five-star Grands Prix during the same period and three Nations’ Cups. The others had similar levels of recent experience at the very top level of the sport.

Whatever the final reason for Broderick’s selection, he was given the opportunity to silence his critics in the cauldron that was the massive Deodoro Stadium at Rio this week.

This he failed to do. He crashed out in 50th place. It was not a failure to win a medal that raised eyebrows in the end. It was his failure to progress any further than the first two qualifying rounds. There were three more rounds to go before he would even glimpse a podium.

Like the rest of Ireland’s equestrian effort at the Rio Olympics, with the possible exception of dressage, this was a very bad day at the office. Or rather, to put it in its proper context of training, competition and selection, it was a very bad year at the office.

31 thoughts on “So what went so badly wrong for Ireland’s riders at Rio?”

I think it’s a very harsh tuff article against our Irish equestrian competitors in all disciplines.. I doubt you article will be received well in any quarter.. I think it was very negative.. I am sure that all of our equestrian riders will receive support from all sectors of our sport

Tail wagging the dog as usual, you dim wit Mc Clelland do you not realise the entire Irish equestrian industry knows what you and your cohorts are at. Did you actually write this? Or was copy sent to you?
Trying to undermine our equestrians, representing us at Olympic level, like this shame on you. Still not managed to swallow that bitter pill. You ****.
Sorry I can’t let it go without calling it like it is.

This article is a disgrace. Why don’t you give this level of competition a shot instead of hiding behind your screen abusing Ireland’s talented riders? I have no doubt from the lack of sportsmanship shown in this ‘article’ you wouldn’t stand a chance in any competition.

This article is just a thinly veiled jab at one particular rider! This rider has faced nothing but obstacles in the run up to this major competition and it was clear this negativity was conjured up by a bully who didn’t get their own way. Who needs competition when your team mates are willing to cut your throat, now there’s a real story for you Colin but probably an article above your weight!

Did you watch both rounds? Greg and Junior deserved to be there. They are a world class combination. This article seems to be written to appease the general public. Anyone with eyes could see why they were selected. I was gutted for them. They were misfortunate, certainly not a crashing disgrace as you imply. Those faults could have happened to anyone.

Both Greg and Going Global are deserving of so much more than this article! The faults he had could happen to any rider and alot worse have happen to your so called more experianced and more deserving riders! Jur Verling who like our ‘other’ riders completes on 5* shows weekly could not make it round the track two days in a row, The great Micheal Whitaker yesterday had 23 penalties at the end of his round. Going Global had a toe in the water and like many a time fault. I think you need to do some more research in how the other riders went round those tough OG courses than blabbering on about why he was picked.
He was deserving of that place and they did a great job repersenting Ireland!!

Both Greg and Going Global are deserving of so much more than this article! The faults he had could happen to any rider and alot worse have happen to your so called more experianced and more deserving riders! Jur Verling who like our ‘other’ riders completes on 5* shows weekly could not make it round the track two days in a row, The great John Whitaker yesterday had 23 penalties at the end of his round. Going Global had a toe in the water and like many a time fault. I think you need to do some more research in how the other riders went round those tough OG courses than blabbering on about why he was picked.
He was deserving of that place and they did a great job

When Greg Broderick was chosen, I was concerned, but I thought he had very bad luck when he touched the tape on the water jump. Otherwise he rode well and the horse was trying. Our top riders know well that a lot of luck is involved no matter what preparations have been made so we should put it behind us and stop trying lay blame.

Ah Colin, I couldn’t even be bothered to read past paragraph 3. A testament to your literary ability. Try being a little more objective next time in your approach, it might help to actually engage the reader and earn you some credit.
However, if bringing a whole lot of negative attention to yourself was your overall aim, well done! Great job! A brilliant piece! (… of complete and utter dribble).

I was filled with nothing but pride watching all our our representatives, as were the majority of Irish equestrians. Their worth is not wholly measured by a medal.

This sounds like it was written by a whiney 12 year…. Appalling really, he ought to be ashamed of himself. A totally unbalanced account and one would wonder whom he is connected to? Really rather a rather needlessly vitriolic rant.

Utter load of bollocks. The real shame of this was that there was no SJ team in Rio, and maybe that was because one rider in the Europeans at Aachen (maybe a little like Broderick did his first round in Rio) didn’t make quite the right decision at the right moment. None of us is perfect. Ireland has some phenomenally talented riders and horses – instead of bitching about things that haven’t gone quite right, focus energy and resources on developing what you’ve got.

Disappointing read, why do ppl like you have to criticise & belittle all the hard work dedication and discipline that all our fantastic equestrians, their horses and their teams put in.
Shame on you, it’s always easy to sit on the sidelines and criticise!
I’m proud of all of Team Ireland & you should be too rather then being mean and petty and spiteful!

What a useless article from someone who obviously has some sort of agenda to discredit Greg & this amazing horse. ( you will eat your words in time ).
And may I point out Individual
Olympic Gold medalist in Sydney, Jeroen Dubblems horse De Sijam, had never won a Grand Prix either

If Cian had been selected this article would never have been written, this level of negativity would never have been displayed and good luck would be ridden by a rich Arab next year with Cian and Co pocketing a cool 3 million, because let’s face it, that’s exactly why he wasn’t picked.

Colin your article has caused a lot of consternation. You have spent more then half the article levelling criticism at Greg Broderick which is unfair. You then claim the problems lie at HSI which I believe is true. They selected him. They sent him. They should be held accountable for ignoring the other 3 riders who may or may not have had a better shot at a medal! Perhaps focussing your attention for the duration of the article at HSI instead of one individual may have been a more balanced approach. You have missed an opportunity here to voice what I believe a lot of people are thinking about HSI. And that is a shame!

I am not involved in this sport and have little knowledge of it. However, this is shocking journalism. Just because he was injured for ages. So was jonny Wilkinson but when he was fit again no idiots were saying he wasnt the best for the job at 10 for England. No commentary on the course, the performance or the event as a whole. Just a RANT that seems very personal from someone who obviously has some other agenda that journalism.

This is all true. While Broderick and his horse are a good combination, they do not have the international competition experience that Allen, O’Connor and the others do. He should not have been chosen as Ireland’s representative. The results speak for themselves.

I believe that Greg shouldn’t have been picked in the first place. The pair are a great combination but our other riders had better credentials to represent ireland here. I think Robert Splaine made a bad choice.
Greg obviously did his best and doesn’t deserve criticism and it’s not helpful at this point, I believe there should be accountability for the selection decision as before he left ireland it was a weak choice for the Olympics compared to what we could have sent

Freedom of the press I guess but I couldnt agree less. Greg proved what hard work a great you ng horse and a super team behind him can do. It won’t be long until this writer is eatting his words we will hopefully hear a lot from this duo in the future ! Well done Greg and Junior we are proud of you!

Yes, we did mention that Judy was the first to reach the final in 24 years. That was Barcelona. Anna’s Barcelona place is mentioned in more detail in other articles we wrote about dressage at the Olympics this year.

Honour & respect for the equine industry as a whole the world is watching and looking to ireland for its initiative with bans on horses found with prohibited substances in racing. You have a chance to lead don’t blow it with petty squabbles & copying other people’s ideas.